This project was an evaluation on the effectiveness of a program entitled “Fish Safe Stability Education Program,” which had been in place since 2005. This research explored whether the FSSEP is a significant factor in preventing injury and loss onboard commercial fishing vessels

The long-term summative evaluation of the FSSEP and its findings stand to inform the commercial fishing industry and all safety focused organizations and agencies about the link between education through indirect instruction techniques and safe working practices

The Fish Safe program offers a user friendly, four-day course in fishing vessel stability principles, which are critical for preventing capsizings and fatalities in the B.C. commercial fishing industry. The course uses a technique called “indirect instruction,” which is learner-focused and draws on the practical on-the-job knowledge fishermen have gained in their many years of fishing. Input from fishermen who have taken the course was collected through a questionnaire survey and focus group discussions

The evaluation found that the course was highly rated by participants, with almost all indicating they learned something from the course, and the majority having made changes to vessels and operating practices to minimize stability threats